Users of modern software applications may obtain access to operation of such applications using a variety of mechanisms. For example, a person may visit a retail store and purchase software on a storage medium such as a CD-ROM for installation within a computer system, or a user may download a copy of the software for installation within a computer system. In most cases, purchase of software entails a purchase of a corresponding software license that provides a respective user a legal right to download, install, and/or otherwise operate the purchased software application. In some cases, users do not actually own the software code itself, but rather purchase a license to operate the software in executable form.
For example, in a retail setting, a respective user can purchase a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) or other type of storage media that is encoded with a software program for installation onto a respective computer system owned by the user. Such a CD-ROM can include an associated serial number packaged with the CD-ROM. The serial number provided by the vendor enables a user to perform an installation procedure of the software and allows operation of the software application stored on the CD-ROM within the computer system on which the software is installed. As an alternative to obtaining the software from a retail vendor, a user may download software over a network such as the Internet from a remote server. The user can then execute an installation program that comes with the downloaded software that then installs the software onto the computer. During purchase over the network, a user may be provided with a serial number or other authorization code that must be entered when installing the software to allow proper operation of the software on the computer. The serial number thus acts as a key to unlock the use of the software. If a user enters an incorrect serial number, the software may not install properly or may not operate once installed.
As an example, when downloading or attempting to execute the software program, a respective installer program for installing the software application on the user's computer system may require the user to input the correct serial number associated with the CD-ROM or provided to the user (i.e. from a server) when downloading the program. Upon receipt of the serial number by the installer program, the installer program may send the serial number over a network such as the Internet to a server managed by the vendor of the software program being downloaded. In general, the vendor's server uses the serial number to track and identify which specific copy of the software application is being downloaded and installed for operation onto a respective user's computer system.
In addition to the serial number, the vendor's server may require further input (e.g., a user's, name, address, business, email address, etc.) from a respective user to register and/or install the software program for use. After obtaining such information from the user, the server typically provides an authentication code enabling the respective user to install and/or execute the software program on the user's computer system.